RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A new use for an old Holter monitor: an ambulatory cough meter
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 1637
OP 1639
DO 10.1183/09031936.97.10071637
VO 10
IS 7
A1 AB Chang
A1 RG Newman
A1 PD Phelan
A1 CF Robertson
YR 1997
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/10/7/1637.abstract
AB Cough is commonly used as an outcome measure in clinical studies, although the subjective reporting of cough is unreliable when compared to objective measures. We describe an inexpensive new ambulatory cough meter that is based on a disused Holter monitor. The cough meter consists of a Holter monitor and a cough processor, designed on a computer to select the most appropriate filters. The cough meter was then validated against the overnight tape recorder on 21 occasions in 18 children (aged 6-15 yrs). The agreement between the cough meter and the tape recorder was good (mean difference of -0.3 coughs x h(-1); limits of agreement -2.2 to 1.7 coughs x h(-1)). We conclude that our newly described ambulatory cough meter provides a valid and inexpensive method of objectively monitoring cough for up to 24 h.